"I don't want to die, please spare me! I was just being a smart aleck! I won't say that again!"
The player apologized quickly and kowtowed just as quickly. After the entire player group showed fear of Yin Xiu, he was isolated and helpless, and could only apologize to Yin Xiu.
One second he was arrogant and domineering, the next he was humble and submissive. Even though he was unwilling, he had no choice but to bow his head in front of Yin Xiu.
Yin Xiu calmly fiddled with the knife in his hand, his black pupils reflecting the figure of that person. "I always hear people calling me a monster. I didn't care before, and I won't care in the future, but if someone doesn't take me seriously, that's a different story."
He slightly moved the knife, and with a crisp click, the player's face turned pale, and he trembled, unable to speak. The group of players behind him also held their breath.
"I'll repeat myself: all these offerings and monsters in the town are mine. No one is allowed to touch them. Anyone who dares to touch them will be made to leave this place in the most cruel way."
Yin Xiu smiled slightly, but his whole body exuded a chilling aura, making everyone feel the pressure.
The threat he emitted, though said to be directed at this player, was more of a threat to the entire player community, a warning to others.
Because those who disappeared in the fog have returned as monsters, bringing a sense of unease to the relatively peaceful town, it has caused a split between the townspeople and the players. He must control the player group as soon as possible. He doesn't know how to use a combination of soft and hard tactics like Ye Tianxuan, he is used to using force.
It's true that the player base fears Yin Xiu, and it's also true that they are unwilling to accept defeat.
A voice, barely audible, rose from the crowd: "You're a player just like us, don't you want to beat the game?"
Yin Xiu didn't call that player out this time because he didn't say anything disrespectful; he just asked a normal question.
"Of course I want to clear the game, but don't you guys remember the conditions for clearing it? Do you think killing them will clear the game?" Yin Xiu's question made the players pause.
They seemed to remember that, on the surface, the dungeon gave them the identity of believers of a certain god, who came to town to offer sacrifices to the god, but the real condition for passing the dungeon was to find the origin of all the anomalies.
Someone suddenly realized, "The sacrifices must be closely related to the mutation. These people who came out of the fog are the best proof. They were sacrifices, and now they are the mutation. We can't kill them!"
"Yes, yes... Investigating them will definitely lead us to the origin of the anomaly."
"So that's what the boss meant by not letting us kill them? We were being narrow-minded."
"The boss is indeed a boss; his ideas are several steps ahead of ours. Maybe if we listen to him, we can pass the level."
"Yeah, the big boss himself definitely wants to beat the game."
Whether it was due to pressure or a genuine discovery of the problem, some positive voices emerged within the player community, while others were negative.
"But is it really a good idea to listen to what someone as dangerous as him says? I always have a feeling it's unreliable."
"So, if you don't listen, is there a solution?"
The sound immediately disappeared. In such an unstable environment, their meager strength was powerless to resist anyone, and they could only go with the flow.
In this town, Yin Xiu was the dominant force. Sacrifices obeyed him, monsters obeyed him, and even if the players disagreed, they had no choice but to obey him.
Everyone was forced to unite.
Seeing the entire group in turmoil, Yin Xiu stood up with a smile and walked step by step toward the player who had kowtowed to him and apologized.
His sudden movement caused all the players to retreat, fearing he might change his mind and come to kill them.
But Yin Xiu simply walked over slowly, looking down at the trembling player under the gloomy sky.
"In the past, you would be lying here as a corpse by now. The only reason you're still alive is because I'm too lazy to draw my sword against the players."
"If you…" Yin Xiu slowly raised his eyes, "or if you all can stay put and not disturb my progress, I will not pose a threat to you."
As he spoke in seemingly gentle words, he raised the sword in his hand that was not yet drawn from its sheath. "But you insist on going against me. I'm just going to work a little harder. The town won't be affected at all without you. It'll just mean a few more players dying in the dungeon."
Yin Xiu's words enlightened everyone. Even if they disappeared, it would not have any impact on the town. On the contrary, without these unstable elements, it would be more convenient for Yin Xiu to investigate the origin of the anomaly.
Yin Xiu made it clear to them that their only options were obedience or death.
For a moment, everyone fell silent, slowly yielding to Yin Xiu, which also meant yielding to those sacrifices or monsters.
"If you understand, then hand over all the props to them." Yin Xiu turned around and sat back down in his chair, lounging there like a bystander.
"All the items... What if we encounter danger?!" The players immediately panicked.
"The town will protect you. In fact, that's how everyone has always been. If you still refuse, I'll have no choice but to take it by force." Yin Xiu said casually, but the players' faces immediately fell.
Well, since we're going to hand it over anyway, we might as well do it peacefully to avoid making a fool of ourselves.
Yin Xiu had the people in the town accept the items, and the players who had already mutated were to check on the players.
To make the uncontrollable players controllable, he had to reshuffle the town, collect the items, redistribute them according to their habits, assign them different positions based on their personalities, and then dismiss them, making them more controllable. It was more like integrating a group of troublesome newcomers into the town.
To truly unite everyone, force alone is useless; it merely forces them to move. The town of 35, however, knows best how to open people's hearts and minds, and letting them negotiate is enough.
So far, everything has been going smoothly, but Yin Xiu's gaze has been constantly wandering over those who have returned from the mutation.
Once the rebellious player group became controllable, the more dangerous people in town became those who had mutated.
He needs to go back and ask him about it properly.
"Brother Xiu, is it to make things easier for the town by bringing these newcomers in? I'm afraid that if we keep suppressing them, their rebellious spirit will rise up." Zhong Mu, who had been watching the whole thing, quickly understood Yin Xiu's plan.
Because the Night Goddess's arrangements certainly wouldn't be limited to this. Her decision to send players in wasn't simply to cause trouble for the town; they needed to take care of these people in advance.
The strange occurrences in the town, the black fog, the players coming to clear the dungeon, and those who returned as monsters—none of these are the beginning of the dungeon, but rather the preparation process for the Night Goddess.
She is placing useful chess pieces one by one into this closed chessboard.